Cala San Vicente marine reserve would change local tourism

Joan Martorell, who is the environmental consultant to the residents’ association in Cala San Vicente, has pointed to “the huge diversity” of “all possible marine environments”, such as posidonia sea grass, sand and rock, which come together in its different coves. But he has also observed that pressure from recreational users of the sea have led marine fauna that were found up to 40 metres deep to have moved to deeper water in order to get greater protection.

Martorell is heading a project to turn Cala San Vicente into a marine reserve with its unique characteristics that will lead to a change in the style of its tourism. Along with representatives of the association, he has met with Pollensa’s mayor, Miquel Angel March, and the regional government’s director-general for fishing, Joan Mercant, in order to consider the viability of a project on which the environment ministry would have the final say.

Xisco Mas, the secretary of the association, says that a marine reserve would result in a “radical change” in the type of tourism in Cala San Vicente. “We are looking for a nature tourism that would come all year, similar to that which exists in the Mariñas of A Coruña (Galicia) or the Medes islands off Catalonia.”

The marine reserve that is being envisaged would be 2.8 square kilometres from the point of Cavall Bernat (the so-called horse promontory) to the Coves Blanques (to the west of the resort). Martorell stresses that the widest possible consensus will be sought, including talking with fishermen, but he notes that “this is a small area in which fishing is barely practised as many of the fish have gone”.

The project would hopefully bring about what is referred to as the “reserve effect”. “This would produce an explosion in the number of species, and when the fish outgrow the reserve they would head for Cala Boquer, Cala Castell and other areas where recreational and professional fishermen go, and they too would benefit,” Martorell explains.

The local residents have a basic document from which a technical proposal can be developed and then taken to the environment ministry. Scientific means for the project are available, but they are needing financial assistance in order to roll out the technical aspect. This, therefore, requires the involvement of the town hall.

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